Ryan Walker, lieutenant with the Pea Ridge Police Department, will be sworn in as chief at 6:30 p.m. tonight in the council chambers at Pea Ridge City Hall.
Walker, a nine-year veteran of the department, was in charge of day-to-day operations at the department after former chief Tim Ledbetter retired.
The city took applications until Jan. 30. Ledbetter's retirement became official Feb. 1. The Pea Ridge posting drew 25 applications, including several internal ones, but more than half the applicants were from out of state. Walker was announced as police chief on the city's Facebook page on Thursday. Pea Ridge has a police force of 10.
Walker was promoted to lieutenant in December 2012, the first lieutenant in the department, according to his application. He joined the Pea Ridge Police Department as a patrolman in September 2006. He was promoted to corporal in June 2009 and sergeant in April 2011.
Walker has been a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician with the Pea Ridge Fire Department for 11 years. He will step down as captain at the fire department to take the police chief position, according to a news release from the city.
NW News on 03/03/2015